Banksy’s $200,000 Graffiti Balloon Confiscated By NYC Police

For his final piece of street art in NYC, Banksy attached a huge balloon that said “Banksy!” to the side of an abandoned building on OCtober 31, 2013.

Three men tried to remove the balloon from the building that same day and were arrested. Police have confiscated the balloon piece, which an art dealer told the New York Times is worth between $200,000 and $300,000.

Police deflated the balloon which is currently being stored on the third floor of the Police Department’s building on Pearson Place in Long Island City, a police spokeswoman told the New York Times.

“I don’t have it as art on the invoice,” Deputy Chief Jack J. Trabitz told the New York Times. “We have it as a balloon.”

For more of this story, head to the New York Times.

About Michael Goldberg

Michael Goldberg is a distinguished pioneer in the online music space; Newsweek magazine called him an ‘Internet visionary.’ In 1994 he founded Addicted To Noise (ATN), the highly influential music web site. He was a senior vice-president and editor in chief at SonicNet from March 1997 through May 2000. In 1997, Addicted To Noise won Webby awards for best music site in 1998 and 1999, and also won Yahoo Internet Life! awards for three years running as best music site in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Prior to starting Addicted To Noise, Goldberg was an editor and senior writer at Rolling Stone magazine for 10 years. His writing has also appeared in Wired, Esquire, Vibe, Details, Downbeat, NME and numerous other publications. Michael has had three novels published that comprise the "Freak Scene Dream trilogy": "True Love Scars," "The Flowers Lied" and "Untitled" which can be ordered here. His new book, "Wicked Game: The True Story of Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey," can be pre-ordered from HoZac Books. In November Backbeat Books will publish "Addicted To Noise: The Music Writings of Michael Goldberg," which can be be pre-ordered here.

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